Mount Vesuvius Eruption (79 AD): The First 24 hrs - Survival and Rescue DOCUMENTARY

In this history documentary we bring the Aftermath of Vesuvius to life be recreating the first 24 hrs of the infamous 79 AD eruption and the ensuing Pompeii Disaster.

We begin by exploring what the ancient Romans knew about Volcanoes. It turns out that they were quite familiar with them, especially with the nearby active volcano of Etna in Sicily. As such they developed many explanations for their causes ranging from the religious to the scientific. With regards to Vesuvius itself, the Romans did in fact have records of it having erupted in the distant past but in more recent times it was believed to be dormant.

We then explore the region immediately around the volcano before following the unfolding events when it erupted on one afternoon in late 79 AD. Our story follows the reactions of those in the immediate vicinity, their escape, and the daring rescue efforts which ensued. This is the first 24 hours of the Vesuvius eruption. We will follow up the episode with the events of the following day and conclude the series by looking at its later re-discovery with the Pompeii Ruins and Herculaneum Ruins.

The Mount Vesuvius eruption stands as one of the worst ancient natural disasters of Roman history and is among the top 10 most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in terms of casualties.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
02:18 Ancient Views of Volcanos
06:09 Ancient Explanation of Volcanos
08:44 Lead up to the Eruption
10:27 Eruption
12:12 Escape
13:56 Rescue
17:50 Doom of Pliny

Works Cited:
"The Eruption of Vesuvius in A. D. 79: Reconstruction from Historical and Volcanological Evidence" by Sigurðsson, Haraldur; Cashdollar, Stanford; Sparks, R. Stephen J.
"Letter LXV. To Tacitus" by Pliny the Younger
"Letter LXVI. To Tacitus" by Pliny the Younger
"Aetna" by Anonymous
"The Complete Pompeii" by Joanne Berry

Credits:
Research = Chris Das Neves
Script = Chris Das Neves
Narration = Invicta
Artwork = Penta Limited

#history
#documentary
#rome

[duneydan]

Aside from all the suffering, there is a fact that always makes emotional for some reasons.
The city walls actually stopped the first pyroclastic flow. Those stone walls filled their duty one last time before being submerged by the following flows and buried for eternity.

[gianlucarossi]

When I went to Pompeii, I found it to be both amazing and depressing to witness. It almost seems unreal that what you are seeing are actually preserved individuals. I also recall a story about a little boy in Herculaneum dying with his arms around his dog. It just goes to show that people are the same all throughout the world and throughout history.

[antoniodambrosio]

My house is about 5 km from the crater of Mount Vesuvius and 5 km from Pompeii. The story of Pompeii really fascinates and scares me simoultaneusly, but despite everything I'm glad I live in this area

[sezarsezar]

the fact that they found Pliny the elder later and we know this first hand story about his daring rescue op proves that there were survivors of Pliny's expedition and later rescue operation. I hope his friend and his friend's family lived fulfilling life after the eruption.

also they were mostly nameless and disappear from the historical records I can't help but to pity them and empathize with their fear and grief.

[augustwolf_]

Pliny the Elder died a heroic death. I hope the rescue fleet managed to evacuate at least some of the survivors.

[TetsuShima]

I really recommend the 2003 BBC docu film on the eruption of Vesuvius, called "Pompeii: the Last Day". It was quite heartbreaking how the characters, despite the great confusion they are experiencing by the events, try to survive the disaster, only to stoically accept their end once they realize there is no escape possible. The most tragic thing is that, as soon as a character dies, we see their real-life remains preserved in ashes thousand of years later

[korstmahler]

Everybody asks how Pompeii got destroyed.
Nobody asks about Herculaneum.

[HeisenbergFam]

Only 100s kids can remember those good old feisty times

[vitorpereira]

Just imagining what the inhabitants of Pompeii went through gives me chills.

[rickoftherick]

This was quite humanizing of an event that often gets glossed over as "volcano erupted, people died." Can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to quite frankly from their point of view see the world end.

[ancientsitesgirl]

That's why, although I want to finally visit Pompeii and see Naples before I die ;), I couldn't live there.... looking at the smoking Vesuvius every day!

[peekaboo]

Imagine thinking the volcano you live near is just a harmless mountain only to find out that those frequent earthquakes were the prelude to a massive eruption.

[matthewct]

Let the gods bless Pliny the Elder for he was a hero!

[andrewpritt]

Wow so that's how pliny the elder died I never knew how he died.

[davidhughes]

This was an absolutely riveting video. Great detail particularly about the recounts of those impacted.
Your channel is always the best out there in this regard.
Thank you Invicta.

[jackcarr]

That's crazy! Just returned from Rome yesterday. I visited Pompeii, and standing in the forum you can imagine seeing the plumes of smoke rising from Vesuvius with the ground shaking around you.
Bet it was petrifying!

[TetsuShima]

Titus: "Now that I am the Emperor, I guarantee Rome will have with me an unprecendented golden a..."
Messenger: "Excuse me, Caesar, but I bring you some news about Pompeii pretty...curious...By the way, a great fire and disease are destroying Rome right now..."
Titus: 😢

[giacomoromano]

For how courageous and brave he was, Pliny failed the first rule of rescue.
Never make two victims of one. If rescue is impossible, don't try it. Still, it was admirable that he tried to upheld his duty.

[Makrangoncias]

I'd like to point out that when I visited Mount Vesuvius last year, a geologist-guide told us that the current double peaked look is exactly due to the eruption that destroyed Pompeii, before that it was a single peaked mountain with a considerable height (about double or more the current one).
Then the explosion blew up the mountain and reduced it roughly to its current look. (The caldera collapsed, removing the old summit and leaving two smaller summits to the crater's sides)

Please Invicta, look up the old images and correct the representation in the video as I think it might be misleading.

[thomasstarlingcollector]

I actually went to Pompeii in august last year on a cruise - it was stunning. Mount Vesuvius looked amazing and I genuinely didn’t think I was there. It really is amazing to see all of these bodies preserved from nearly 2000 years ago (I was actually scared when we were there the volcano would blow 😂😭)